ALL POLITICS. ALL THE TIME.

Previously non-politicized areas are now being systematically politicized: late night TV (Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee) stupid awards shows (Caitlyn Jenner) and even sports (Colin Kapernick, whom I was surprised to learn is black), and it is precisely this atmosphere that gives rise to Donald Trump. Trump becomes the counter culture, the transgressor, the punk rocker, and that makes him cool.

Interesting. There are probably lots of things that give rise to Donald Trump but Douthat’s general observation can’t be denied, that there is a specific political agenda being pushed everywhere and it has a few defining characteristics:

It is very corporate friendly. The traditional left was Marxist at its core and therefore hostile to business, but this new left is quite comfortable with it.

It does however owe to Marx the idea that everything is political.

Therefore it is obsessed with identity politics.

It is stupidly confident in its own moral rectitude and a fortiori the mental and moral inferiority of anyone who might disagree.

Therefore it is authoritarian and conformist.

The thousand or so comments on Douthat’s article mostly boil down to: stupid Ross, of course we have to politicize every facet of life because Trump is literally Hitler and you are a racistsexisthomophobe for daring to think differently. Which of course proves Douthat’s point.

If everything is political all the time then you should preform a political act and stop watching TV. Maybe curtail your internet use and while you are at it do less shopping for crap you don’t need.